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Best Trades Of The MLB Offseason

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Believe it or not, the Major League Baseball regular season kicks off later this month. While many players still linger on the free agent market, the slow offseason produced many trades that evaluators have spent weeks analyzing. However, transactions can’t be rightfully graded until seasons play out. Roster construction lacks an exact science, which means guarantees do not exist. Moves that initially seem great often turn out disastrous. Moves that fly under the radar often prove crucial to a team’s success.

With the true evaluation period kicking off in just a few weeks, let’s look back at some of the best MLB offseason trades from this past winter (in no particular order). Not every move on the list will be a blockbuster, and not every headline stealer will make the list. Impactful trades come in various shapes and sizes, and it will be interesting to look back and see how each move played out.

Best Trades of the MLB Offseason

Baltimore Orioles Get The Ace They Need

The Baltimore Orioles possess a robust system that has produced more bats than arms. While the system features some young, intriguing pitchers, none are ready to lead the rotation. Despite coming off a surprising 101-win season, Baltimore’s need for a bonafide ace was no secret around the league.

In early February, general manager Mike Elias pulled the trigger on the biggest move of his career. Elias acquired Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers for Joey Ortiz, DL Hall, and a 2024 Competitive Balance Round A draft pick. Burnes, a former Cy Young Award winner, will lead the young pitching staff in 2024 to what the team hopes is a deep postseason run.

This move was a no-brainer for Elias. While Baltimore gave up prospects with decent pedigrees, they did not have roles on the major league roster. Ortiz was blocked by several young players/prospects in the infield, while Hall has struggled in the majors in his brief career. These youngsters have serious potential, but Burnes is an enormous and immediate upgrade for the 2024 O’s.

Plus, Baltimore still has one of the deepest farm systems in the league. Many expect the team to pull off another blockbuster at the trade deadline. Acquiring Burnes makes the team significantly better right now without sacrificing the quality of future Orioles squads.

The New York Yankees Finally Act Like The New York Yankees

Like Burnes with the Orioles, Juan Soto to the New York Yankees always seemed inevitable. Considering the slow pace of the offseason, it’s incredible that many thought the early December deal took forever to complete. But alas, the Yankees turned back the clock and acquired a mega-star when all eyes were on them.

Soto brings youth, an elite eye, and a tremendous offensive approach to a Yankees lineup that has become stale, stagnant, and boring. The Bombers will benefit not only from Soto’s star power but also from his overall offensive profile. He possesses elite on-base ability and great power that generate comparisons to Ted Williams.

In recent years, Aaron Judge has carried the lineup and looked dead when he misses time. Soto, a star on Judge’s level, should provide lineup protection and production with or without Judge. It’s easy to dream about Soto working deep counts and getting on base before Judge. Pitchers will struggle greatly if they have to face Judge after a long at-bat and a man on base. In these situations, pitchers will make more mistakes that Judge should seriously take advantage of.

Even better, Soto is capable of doing damage on his own. He has hit 27 or more homers in four seasons and has never produced an OPS+ lower than 142. While Soto’s impact on the San Diego Padres didn’t live up to the hype, he still produced great numbers. The Yankees roster is still far from perfect, but acquiring Soto no doubt represents one of the best MLB offseason trades.

Boston Red Sox Infuse System With Needed Pitching Depth

In early December, the Sox offloaded Alex Verdugo, a player the organization severely soured on, to the Yankees for three arms. After the staff was tested last year, Boston’s system needed to be infused with quality pitching. This offseason trade exchanged an impending free agent for three high-floor arms with years of control.

One of the pitchers, 29-year-old Greg Weissert, will contribute right away. The righty uses a wicked sweeper and effective sinker to generate ground balls and stymie righties. Weissert won’t close games, make an All-Star team, or get many headlines this season. But he provides more depth in the middle innings, allowing the Red Sox to fill other holes. Whether moving a couple of relievers to the back of the rotation or trading high-leverage arms, Weissert’s impact should be felt throughout the roster.

 

 

 

Richard Fitts, a second arm acquired in the trade, burst on the scene in the Yankees system last year. The 2023 Double-A Eastern League Pitcher of the Year is expected to develop further in the Red Sox system and could make his debut late in 2024. He will likely be a multi-inning reliever but has back-end starter potential if he develops a third pitch.  Like Weissert, Fitts is more of a high-floor addition that Boston’s system needed.

The last pitcher acquired, Nicholas Judice, has great size and raw stuff. However, he is far away from the majors and must further develop. Many might consider him a project, but good organizations acquire these wild card types in trades like this. If Judice learns to harness his stuff, he will be an essential piece for Boston teams later this decade. If not, Weissert and Fitts should provide enough value to make this trade worth it.

Boston did not receive a star in this deal. However, this is one of the best MLB offseason trades this winter because of the process behind it. New front office leader Craig Breslow deserves credit for turning a malcontent into multiple pieces that could impact the Red Sox into the next decade.

Detroit Tigers Add Quality Veteran At-Bats To A Young Lineup

In one of the first offseason transactions, the Detroit Tigers acquired Mark Canha from the Brewers for a minor league reliever. While it’s a minor move, the trade signifies Detroit’s readiness to progress rebuilding by properly supporting a young core. A team doesn’t add $11.5 million for a 35-year-old without expecting to compete at some level.

Canha immediately becomes one of the oldest players on the Tigers roster. However, he will be essential in a very young locker room. But perhaps most importantly, the veteran will add a consistently professional offensive approach to the lineup. The Tigers have an offensive core that could make up the next championship-caliber team. Ideally, Canha’s ability to work counts and take quality at-bats rubs off on them and advances their development.

While he didn’t hit for the power he wanted to over the past couple of years, Canha relied on his great on-base skills to produce above-average offense. He pairs this with solid defense in the outfield and at first base. This MLB offseason trade justifiably did not grab many headlines, and many might have forgotten it happened.

However, young teams are often volatile. Canha provides an extremely high-quality depth piece and raises the floor of this team’s potential. Perhaps think of this trade as the Tigers adding the antithesis of Javier Báez to its lineup. If the Tigers compete for a postseason birth, the Canha trade will likely prove criminally under-looked.

Main Photo Credits: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

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